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One caught it but was too shy to give it back, so handed it to a second man who gave it in turn to the lady.

Amused by this display of chivalry, she said the second man had acted like a "lord" but the shy man had acted like a "fool". Since then, the chase has been reenacted every year.

When and where is it played?

In the heart of the Sway during the 2011 Haxey Hood Game (Image: PA)

The centuries-old Hood Game is traditionally contested on the Twelfth Night of Christmas, and begins in a field outside Haxey village.

Four pubs take part - the Carpenter's Arms, Westwoodside; the Duke William Hotel and The Loco, both in Church Street; and the Kings, in Low Street.

The rules

The 'Chief Boggin' (left) and the 'Lord', enjoy a drink before the Haxey Hood game

The Hood itself is a sort of long leather loofah, flung into the air in the middle of a mudfield to start the game, and the aim is to manhandle it all the way back to the winners' favourite pub.

The marathon happening is 'refereed' by the Lord of the Hood, accompanied by his Chief Boggin, both wearing scarlet hunting coats and hats decorated with flowers and plumes, with a dozen red-sweatered boggins to help them keep order.

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After the usual bit of fun to warm everybody up, flinging false hoods for the local children to chase to earn pocket money, they get down to the serious business of the Ancient Game.

The leather Hood is tossed into the air, signalling the formation of the giant scrum of pub pushers where it falls.

The Sway nears the Duke William pub during the Haxey Hood game in 2017

The scrum, constantly collapsing and reforming in the mud, swiftly becomes one unrecognisable brown mass of humanity, until at some point it gathers momentum in one direction or another.

When the Hood finally reaches one of the four pubs, it is touched by the landlord on his or her front step, and it then remains in that pub for the following New Year's Eve, when it is collected by the Boggins in time for the next game.